Today's Reading
Lindsey waved and turned back to her computer. The cursor on the blank document in front of her blinked impatiently. She glanced at the notes she'd made on the legal pad beside her. Surely, writing a class description and choosing software could not be more difficult than getting her master's degree in information science, right?
She studied her notes, felt suitably daunted, and decided she needed to get up and do a walkabout of the library. Avoidance? Yes. But as the director of the library, she tried to meet and greet as many patrons as she could during her short time on the reference desk. Also, it gave her a chance to browse the new books.
She passed through the adult reference area, which was quiet, and moved to the general fiction section. Three of the study carrels were in use by local college students, cramming for their fall semester finals, and several more patrons were browsing.
In the periodical area, Milton Duffy was in the corner in his usual position, standing on his head, while he did his yoga practice. His eyes were shut, so Lindsey didn't interrupt him. He was one of the town's biggest advocates of the library, led the chess club every Wednesday afternoon, and was dating Mayor Cole, so Lindsey was fine with him standing on his head wherever his heart desired.
She reached the prominently displayed new bookshelves by the front door and paused. The holidays were a little less than two weeks away, and the first December snow had fallen, leaving the town blanketed in white and fully representing the famed New England Christmas charm. She wanted something to read that matched the holiday spirit.
She supposed she could revisit a classic like Little Women, but there was so much more going on in the novel than the holidays, and she didn't want to over commit emotionally. She supposed she could read a holiday thriller or just watch Die Hard. She picked up a Meg Langslow mystery set during Christmas by Donna Andrews. This definitely had the humor and heart she was seeking. She scanned the bookshelf for more and scored a holiday Royal Spyness mystery by Rhys Bowen. Christmas in England with Lady Georgie. Her evening was looking up.
Lindsey left the new books and approached circulation, taking her place in line. She wanted to ask her colleague how things were going, but she didn't want to cut ahead of anyone to do it. There was only one person in front of her, and Lindsey tried to identify her from the back, which wasn't easy given that, like everyone else during this December cold snap, the patron was swaddled in winter gear.
From the back, she was a tall woman, almost as tall as Lindsey, with chin-length wavy dark hair. She was wearing a long, navy wool coat over wide-legged tweed pants and thick-soled brown lace-up boots. She had a Louis Vuitton handbag dangling from her elbow, and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses were pushed back on her head. When she turned, Lindsey recognized her profile.
It was Helen Monroe, who had just been installed by the Briar Creek Friends of the Library as the town's writer in residence. Helen had been working in one of the study rooms in the library for a little over a week, and other than the reception to welcome her, Lindsey hadn't had much of an opportunity to speak with her.
Lindsey had tried to engage Helen in conversation the few times their paths had crossed, but Helen hadn't been receptive. Still, Lindsey was always polite. She wanted anyone who used the library to know that they were among friends even if they wanted to keep their distance.
Paula Turner, the head of circulation, was manning the desk and assisting Helen. Paula was known for her elaborate tattoos—although they weren't currently visible beneath the turtleneck sweater she was wearing—and her colorful hair. Presently, it was a stunning shade of bright red, and she had fastened it into a thick braid that draped over her shoulder, tied with a scarlet-and-green-striped ribbon. Very festive.
"Here you are, Ms. Monroe." Paula pushed the short stack of books across the counter, and Lindsey glanced at the pile. She didn't mean to be rude, but she was curious to see what the writer in residence was checking out so she might be able to deduce what Helen was working on. So far, it had been kept very hush-hush.
In a move that had shocked the publishing world, Helen had declared that she had series fatigue and killed off the protagonist of her long-running thriller series. She announced she would no longer write the beloved Mallory Quest mysteries, which had rocketed her to iconic thriller writer status over the past decade.
The outcry among her fan base had been significant, and the reviews of her final book were mixed. Fans who couldn't forgive the abrupt demise of Mallory Quest vilified her for the betrayal while critics praised her for making a bold literary choice and elevating the genre. Lindsey could see both sides, but personally she had been very sad to see the end of the popular series.
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